When dismissal comes at 3:30 PM on Tuesdays, Clara, Fatima, and their friends don’t head for the buses; instead, they gather together in Mrs. Morgan’s classroom, inspired by the Girls Who Code book they’d read. Surrounded by the clacking keyboards and the flickering light of laptops, they came to realize that code was just another language used for communicating instructions to computers, to build software, websites, apps, and automate tasks, much like natural languages use grammar and syntax for human communication, but for machines.
The students have learned ways to express logic, solve problems, and create digital tools. In addition, Club members explore the foundations of computer science concepts and practice computational thinking through hands-on activities that connect to their daily lives. The curriculum includes the use of Snap Circuits and the mini Robot Spiro
They learned that a bug wasn't a failure, but a puzzle to solve. They shared snippets of code, debugging each other’s loops with patience and snacks. As this past semester ended, Mrs. Morgan’s Coding club has become a launchpad. They hadn't just designed programs; they had built a sisterhood defined by logic and the courage to make something from nothing.
Mrs. Morgan was inspired to start the coding club at Wright Denny in the fall of 2024. Her initiative in starting an elementary coding club involved identifying a community need, leveraging free resources (such as Scratch and Girls Who Code), creating a fun, project-based curriculum, and building a support network, proving that motivation and a basic understanding are enough to empower students for future tech opportunities. Ms. Wille will be running the after-school program for Mrs. Morgan during her maternity leave this spring. We at Wright Denny are grateful for their dedication.
